Over the last year, Western Massachusetts residents have shown incredible resilience and compassion in response to the succession of weather disasters that have battered parts of the region beyond recognition.

With less than four months to go before the end of 2011, the region has seen snowstorms, tornadoes and a hurricane. Through it all, federal, state and local governments, relief agencies and neighbors have shown a surprising ability to cope with the unforeseen. And leading the way has been the local emergency response team of the American Red Cross providing food, clothing, housing and emergency for the hundreds of families displaced.

As it faces the continuance of the hurricane season and the prospect of early winter storms, the local Red Cross is in desperate straits itself. Its annual $100,000 local disaster relief budget is completely depleted.

The Red Cross has already spent far more than that amount this year, according to Rick Lee, executive director of the Pioneer Valley chapter. The agency’s three full-time disaster relief specialists and 150 trained volunteers are exhausted, but undaunted.

“They’ve been working 12-13 hour days, 28 to 30 days a month,” Lee said.

So what can we do to help? The answer is simple: Make a donation to the local chapter of the Red Cross.

“Financial donations are the best single way to help; we can convert that money into what the client needs,” Lee said. After placing 350 people left homeless by the June 1 tornadoes, the Red Cross is opening new shelters in Williamstown and Colrain for families forced from their homes by Hurricane Irene’s floodwaters.

With the anniversary of the 9-11 attacks just days away, making a donation to the Red Cross would be a fitting tribute to the victims of and responders to disasters – both natural and man-made.